Strange Gift
by CatarinaK
Summary: I was inspired to write something about Street Fighter involving Chun Li. Still don't know if I'm going to finish this or not. Timeline of Street Fighter is weird, don't know if it's 2000s or not. Bear with me.
1. Chapter 1

Chun Li turned on the radio, the familiar strings of an electric guitar echoing throughout the tiny hotel bedroom. It did have a bathroom. The shower head resembled the head of a lion. At first, the Interpol police officer thought nothing of it.

It could have been an eccentricity of the architect who had designed the décor of the 1970s 3 star hotel. Chun Li Xiang was a very down-to-earth woman. At least, ever since her father had "perished", a little of her cheerful self had faded. Yet, she tried to walk around with a smile in the office.

Normally, she wouldn't have walked into a hotel merely because her friend Cammy had wanted to have a night out so they could both relax. Checking her friend's letter, the martial artist sighed, one hand placed above her round chin.

It did have Cammy's elegant, stylish handcrafting. Chun Li had studied psychology, and one of her many subjects she have had researched were psychopathic tendencies in handwriting. There was something off about the MI6 agent's handwriting. Those weren't the usual swirls in her s's and p's. She also saw an unusual use of connectors, something psychopaths were known to use in sentences. Then again, people with Autism were also diagnosed with a lack of knowledge how to form simple and structural paragraphs.

It was obvious Cammy would inherit the monster's handwriting. From a scientific and psychological point of view, she had M. Bison's DNA. Chun Li had known cases of children of infamous psychopaths who had only inherited their fine motor skill problems.

Shaking herself from those horrid memories, Chun Li began to undress herself from the t-shirt and skinny jeans. It have had been a pain finding jeans that fit her thighs. The "Strongest Woman in the World" indeed – she'd had to restrain herself from slapping one of the female clerks at GAP that she should go into a diet if she truly wanted to save money. Naturally curvy muscles wasn't fat. If those high-school dropouts pretended that wasn't the case, Chun Li pitied them for having to slave away for their narcissistic parents.

Not every parent was as understanding and as caring as her father had been.

Glancing at the jeans, the Interpol officer had to sigh as she began to take off her short stockings. Sewing wasn't her forte, but she had begun to take on a few online classes. That came with the fact most police forces required women to wear ceremonial or formal uniforms. Yet, she thanked the heavens for Hong Kong's liberal policies. No matter how elastic gym pantyhose were, she couldn't just wear those everywhere.

Taking off her bra, Chun Li giggled. The red colour of the rooibos and ginger tea swirled as she poured some to her favourite Looney Tunes mug. It was round, yellowish and it had one of her favourite characters on it. It was the only object she had managed to savage before her father's supposed death. Chun Li often cleansed it carefully with an alcohol and antiseptic mixture. Being part of the police force, she had learned a few hacks from her male colleagues.

Caressing the cup, she sipped a little, the warm and tangy mixture relaxing her.

Look at me, thinking about normal things like bra sizes and tight stockings ripping. That's a few more points…Thank you, Ryu…

The older martial artist had once said to her she should appreciate the normal things on her hectic life. Normally, that would reflect her own fighting spirit. It truly did.

Opening the shower, the police officer checked in. It was an instinctive and almost irrational reaction. It was as though someone could be hiding in the shower, like a boogieman.

Or a psychotic Spanish bull matador with compulsive issues. Chun Li thought bitterly while narrowing her eyes.

A dark and velvety voice haunted her dreams. His voice – the man who had threatened her friends' lives. There was someone else. The man who proclaimed himself to be a nobleman, but had little to no honour to speak.

She could feel those sapphire daggers staring at her from the mirror…It was merely an illusion. She said to herself while shaking her head.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder had been something Chun Li had been used to deal. Yet, she could never shake the shiver and the black knots tightening the bile in her stomach whenever something triggered those. Whether it was a man in a traditional Chinese navy uniform or a blond man walking in the street, she normally took a Valdispert and that was the end of it. Roibos tea, like the one she had been taking, also helped.

Taking care to wash herself – self care was also a manner to deal with all her scars – the young woman noticed a small and crimson wrapped gift hanging from a golden silken-like knot on her cloth hooker.

_ Free massage and SPA pack _

The words in simplified Chinese taunted her.

Slamming the window open, her heartbeat racing, Chun Li didn't even bother to cover herself. Her tunnel vision only registered the red light of a nearby drone's camera flying.

'You've got to be fucking kidding me!' She screamed into the night air in English. 'You don't scare me, you old fart!'

Sighing, Chun Li shut the windows; this time making sure the lock was perfectly shut.

Rushing to the telephone, she began to dial a number she now knew by heart – the bomb-diffusing unit from Hong Kong police.

'Hello…? Detective Xiang speaking. Could you please head over to my hotel room and dispose of something that was left here…'

'Xiang…Are you sure you aren't being paranoid? It has been…two years since Shadaloo reared their ugly heads.'

'I know, Sergeant. Do come by…Someone just decided to offer me a gift via a drone. Considering I'm in the third floor it's very suspicious the Hong Kong Air Force didn't detect this object.' Chun Li struggled to keep her voice level. Dear Lord…If she had managed to capture a photo of the drone, the Interpol could have zoomed it. Nevertheless, she hadn't imagined that.

'All right…it will take a while for me to deploy a third of my men. Be sure to be on the lookout, Xiang.'

That was a polite sentence for "I think you need to get some rest and no, I won't send my men over a wild goose-chase."


	2. Chapter 2

_**I had some inspiration...Yay XD **_

Two hours passed and Chun Li didn't hear a single banging of the door or the eerie sound of a smoke bomb hissing throughout her hotel bedroom. She had been certain outburst had made the Shadaloo leader horny…Or at least, vaguely tempted to kidnap her there.

Turning the VPN service on, she began to search any kind of Shadaloo activity throughout the news. Apart from a few punctual cybernetic attacks to the UN and NATO headquarters, there was no singular abduction, or the typical hostile company takeover by one of Shadaloo's legal subsidiaries.

It was only at eleven past ten when she found that three of the most expensive SPA cosmetic companies in Hong Kong had been recently sold. One of these Chun Li had known the owner. The woman was a middle-aged and brave woman who had married the owner. The man had suffered constant threats during the 1990s, especially since he refused to host Yakuza and Chinese Triads.

After numerous assassination attempts, the man had disappeared mysteriously in 1998, only a few months before China was given the territory by the British. Ever since, the woman had inherited the SPA and she had held it firmly with an iron fist.

Chun Li couldn't believe Mrs. Guo had given up her husband's old and luxurious spa.

She shook her head while wincing. Xuo Jiu Guo was a strong woman, born in the 1970s. She couldn't have been pressured by her husband's death to give up…Then, Chun Li recalled Tai Yu, Mrs. Guo's only daughter. The little girl was only five years old.

Taking a thin brush and combing through the many tabloids, Chun Li found the source of worry. Mrs. Guo and her daughter had been found accompanying a handsome man to a classic concerto in Hong Kong's opera.

Tai Yu's hair was done in a simple bun. She appeared uncomfortable on her white and pinkish western designer dress. Her sleepy face, captured by the tabloid' camera, told the little Cantonese girl wanted nothing more than head to her bed. Yet, Chun Li suspected the middle-aged Guo had brought her five year old as a third wheel.

The man's face was blurred out. The tabloid had a tiny subtitle explaining Mrs. Guo had begged the press not to post pictures of the man.

'Don't worry, Mrs. Guo…I can help you…' Chun Li said to herself as she began to copy-paste all those findings into a document file. Afterwards, she e-mailed one of the most preeminent independent newspapers' editors in Asia, the "Freedom Forward", a deceptively "leftist" group comprised of American Born Chinese, Koreans and Japanese.

She could be taken seriously by sneaking into that SPA. Then again, that package had the words "it's a trap" written all over it. It was not literally…Many of the proeminent Shadaloo top figures in mainland China didn't loathe Chun Li. However, they didn't view her as a valuable asset either. While their "head honcho" had attempted to make her an automated, cold-hearted soldier, the Chinese sector of Shadaloo viewed Chun Li as a target, and most of all, a nuisance. Neither of those sexist criminals would ever try to lure her. It was far too complex and cheesy for them.

'They won't even waste their money with me… last assassination attempts I remember the guys tried to shoot me from a random SUV Citröen with automatic weapons.' She said to herself while making another tea, this time of chamomile.

Opening one bowl of instant noodles she poured the steaming hot water laying next to the teapot and poured it over to the bowl. It was such a nostalgic smell.

She truly had no patience whatsoever for fighting crime. Freedom Forward could investigate that strange takeover.

_Why would that psychopath have any interest in buying three Hong Kong spas? It makes no sense…Sure, there are a ton of people who visit the bath-houses but these are mostly elderly people. The cost is about hundred dollars the normal pack. Sure, it's expensive, but it's not the profitable, European spas in France or in Portugal._

Placing one arm above her shoulder, Chun Li poured the steaming tea into a mug.

Nothing like doing her own food to help her calm down. The chamomile tea exhaled a soft, bitter perfume.

Mrs. Guo fearful look from the last time they met seemed to haunt her.

As Chun Li was about to lay down for a little, instant noodles and the teacup in both hands, the doorbell rang.

Immediately placing both the food and the drink on the small island table, the police officer took her gun and raced to behind the door.

_It's almost they're doing this on purpose, whoever they are! _

Looking for a small opening, she peeped from the small screen all hotel bedrooms had.

There was the image of a fidgeting five year old. Her hair was disheveled. A small scratch on her right feet denoted how she had run like her very life depended on it. She was trembling.

'Miss Officer!' She whimpered in English.

There was no mistaking the tiny voice. This was Tai Yu. How on earth had the little girl sneaked into the old hotel? Chun Li furrowed one eyebrow, inhaling deeply. This could be another trap. She knew perfectly well Bison wouldn't hesitate to use a child to get what he wanted. The very thought of that image made her sick to the stomach. Tightening her hold on the Walther P99, she loaded the weapon, a skeptical look on her face.

'Tai Yu! Are you on your own?! Answer to me!'

'Yes! Yes! Miss Officer...Miss Officer, I'm on my own!'

She couldn't look closer to the camera, or whoever was there with the girl could blow the camera. That would only frighten the girl even more.

Pinpointing a blind angle where the men could be holding the girl, Chun Li made a small scheme - she could tear the door open, disarm one man with one kick while shooting the other...Or there could be only man. However, she doubted it.

From the other side of the wall, in the corridor, she could hear footsteps.

Tai Yu was alone.

'Tai Yu... I'll open the door, then shove you back to my bedroom. Cover yourself.' She spoke aloud to the little girl. 'Can you do this for me?'

'Ye-Yes!'

'Now!'

Opening the door, Chun Li shoved with the best strength she could find the five year old to her bed. Tai Yu propelled herself in the air, jumping to the bed. The police officer was somewhat proud of the little girl.

Aiming the weapon to anyone who would dare take the girl, she snarled.

'Come at me, fuckers...'


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi...I have been super busy with other stories in Ao3 but not enough to write for this...I am not even sure where this is going but OCs make me tearful faster than you can say _shoryuken! ^^; _**

A heavily tattooed man with pale skin and surgically operated eyes walked. His heavy fur coat hung loosely on his shoulders. His skinny jeans nearly hung, as though he had been rushing from whatever place he was to this. A large gun (Kalashnikov, maybe, with some illegally alternated parts) was hanging obviously close to his crotch. Chun Li nearly laughed at the six feet tall man. Typical Triad member and their obsession with their penises, she thought…

Talk about stereotypical baddie…Can't Bison find any original people?

'Officer…I'm sure we can discuss this like civilized people. That girl's Mother has been holding the only copy of our contract. She won't admit the SPA is ours.'

'And you intend to kidnap an innocent child?! Please…' Chun Li snorted.

'We don't want to cause any trouble, officer.'

'Should've thought about that before harming an innocent young girl…'

Diving into the floor before the bullets could hit her, she spun an outstretched leg around on the floor. Her powerful kick had connected with both the leader and one of the henchmen's legs, knocking them out towards the wall. A loud smash of brains crashing against hard surface and cracking as their necks broke echoed.

A cold silence hovered as Chun Li glared at three stunned men that had lowered their guns and long, thin catguts.

The catgut man in the front seemed terrified as he held his hands up in the air.

'Who do you work for, jerk? And don't tell me it was Mr. Fur Coat over there!

'Yan-! Yen…' The five feet point six tall catgut man muttered.

'In Cantonese!'

'Sun Yee On…'

Chun Li loaded her weapon.

'No-! Please…It's the truth!'

'Why…Why would you terrify a child…'

'Leverage…We saw Mrs. Guo with an old man in the papers, the old Boss thought he could regain some territory and prey that dirty…'

Suddenly, a bullet landed on the man's neck. It pierced through his carotid vein. A metallic scent hovered as some blood squirted from the wound. The man instantly crumbled into Chun Li as she saw in shocked silence.

A sniper.

'Call the police, you…'

'Yes! Yes ma'am!' The younger henchman nodded as he rushed to the lift.

Chun Li didn't wait for the men to fall with their hands on the air.

She burst open the opposite door to her bedroom, a glare.

A sudden gust of wind caught her by surprise.

The window was open. Someone had made a hole in the keyhole of the door.

Whether it was the Sun Yee On or Shadaloo, she now had two victims. Mrs. Guo had been mixing with the wrong crowd and now, the only clue Chun Li Xiang had was a tabloid article, whom she didn't know who it could be. It was far too ridiculous to be Bison. However, knowing the monster, he could have shapeshifted into something far more appealing.

Familiarity…I need something.

Two hours in the morning, she was comforting a whimpering Tai Yu, massaging her hair. She had learned that technique with Cammy. Perfumed drugstore shampoo – one of the many simple pleasures in life the most arrogant of people could never understand.

Hey…Tai Yu…Hope you aren't allergic.

No…I am not. The five year old answered sweetly as Chun Li could only beam.

Honestly, the blond British-accented woman had a weird and yet, quirky way of cheering Chun Li up. Showers are the best. Cammy would say. The Interpol police officer had to agree. She could remain on her bedroom. Yet, she had chosen the bathroom. A steaming shower was the least she could do for the child.

Washing the girl thoroughly, Chun Li began to hum a lullaby her father once sang. It was nice returning to normalcy. She could try to return to normalcy…Or it could be impossible.

The sound of the buzzing doorbell echoed.

Miss Qang? The Cantonese voice of a middle-aged receptionist asked. There's an officer named Lan Kai Jun.

Chun Li Xiang answered that the receptionist could let him in. Placing a robe, she allowed Tai Yu to follow after her, a long towel one of the neighbouring police officers had offered.

The chief of the local police was a man of her age. Kai Jun Lan, or so it said on his plate.

'Hey, Xiang…' He waved while holding two mugs of chai lattes. 'Remember me…We practiced wuxiang together in your father's dojo.'

'Good evening, Captain Lan.'

His square jaw and brown eyes made him attractive. The bristles of his peach yellow skin rubbed against the door for a while as he fidgeted.

'I brought an extra chai. Care for some?' He asked in English.

'Sure…I'll make some chamomile tea for Miss Guo Tai Yu…'

'Yeah…' Lan chortled nervously. 'I'm so sorry about that, Xiang…You should have some rest and the Sun Yee On decide to barge into your hotel.'

Soon enough, the sizzle of vegetarian sausages hovered as Lan began to make salted omelettes with rice noodles.

Chun Li could almost cry. She wondered when was the last time a man had tried to comfort her with homemade food. Maybe that didn't mean a thing. Lan could be doing this for Tai Yu.

'I'll try to see the psychology team see Miss Guo, Xiang. Don't worry about her.'

Tai Yu only hid herself closer to Chun Li's legs. This made the Interpol police officer laugh.

'At least they won't try to abduct young women to brainwash them.' Chun Li commented bitterly, the exhaustion loosening her tongue.

Lan nodded sympathetically, a saddened look on his face. His fists tightened, as if he was yearning to touch her. But, he kept a firm hand on the omelettes frying pan.

Chun Li smiled. Lan was perhaps the only decent man she ever had met in Hong Kong. Unpretentious, the young police officer on the academy seemed so naïve. He had a silly overbite in his youth. He had fixed his teeth and jaw.

'Xiang…I'm so sorry…I never forgave myself for what you have been through in the 90s. Then your father appeared, almost miraculously alive. We couldn't believe it…I couldn't believe it!'

'What have you been up to, besides watching Chinese and Korean dramas?'

He averted her gaze.

'I haven't… single…'

'Oh…you're married…'

'No. I have been married for years, but my Mom was far too controlling. Coupling that with my days on work, you can imagine why the divorce was the best solution.'

'Did…Did you have any children?'

He was now blushing like a tomato.

'No…The events surrounding you and Dorai made me quit that idea all together, Chun Li. Adding that the Nine Eleven events, you can guess why I never thought of bringing a child to this world. No matter how many times my mother said it was better to have them when we were still young, my wife was terrified with the things I told her.'

Lan sighed, his face trembling. The man seemed ready to burst into tears. Chun Li melted at the sight. Hopelessness.

'Damn it… I am a captain. But I couldn't….When I heard about Guo's disappearance…I just had to find out for myself. That poor woman…!'

Chun Li reached one arm, touching it softly.

'You're human…Of course you would be worried for her. I just can't figure why she'd disappear so suddenly.'


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hello, people! One more chapter and this one is calmer. I know Kai Jun looks far too perfect - or Disney like - to be true but he's indeed a gentleman. **_

Drying out his tears, he began to stir once again the fried omelettes with noodles. Chun Li could not help but feel sorry for the middle-aged police chief.

As he placed the omelettes with rice noodles on the dishes she had, Kai Jun Lan sighed.

'I can…I cannot imagine what you've been through, Tai Yu. But…please, eat.'

Tai Yu had her arms on the table, her face almost leaning against the island table.

'Don't. I am not hungry.' The cheerful warmth in her eyes had vanished.

'Please… I know this is all scary to you, but…'

The former Hong Kong police officer placed one hand on the man's shoulder, a strict and reproving stare.

'I'll…I'll just sleep over there…' The girl mumbled in a whisper.

Chun Li felt the little girl needed some time for herself. She vaguely recalled feeling out of place for losing her father momentarily, when she had nothing to do with whatever evil scheme that monster had with her. Her eyes felt moist as she remembered how her skin had been pale the weeks she had returned from the Shadaloo secret base. Even though she have had regained her free will, the sixteen year old was no longer the cheerful and naïve teenager. People often commented how "Miss Xiang" resembled a ghost, with her lips dry.

'Lan…I think we should let Tai Yu cry.'

Tai Yu curled into a ball on the couch and began to weep. No matter how heart-breaking this was to Chun Li, she could do nothing. Tai Yu could only win this battle on her own.

'Oh, Heavens and Hell below…!' Chun Li muttered, feeling a few tears escaping her cheeks.

Her hotel's clock showed three in the morning.

Placing both arms against the table, Chun Li reluctantly ate the noodles. They didn't taste like anything. Then again, whenever she thought of her traumatic experience as a guinea pig within Shadaloo, no food would taste good. It merely made her want to puke.

'I won't be able to sleep the next days…'

Lan's hand was on hers.

'Don't worry, Xiang…I'll assign another man for witness protection.'

'What makes you think she will take it so easily? Tai Yu might be withdrawn, but she still followed me.'

Lan's square cheeks blushed as he laughed nervously.

'You…You're right!'

'Anyway…I feel indebted to Mrs. Guo. She calmed me when Father could not. She was like an older sister to me when I felt I couldn't trust anyone. If there ever was a way to protect her from whoever is threatening her, I would. Nevertheless, Tai Yu won't tell us what happened. She's too frightened, and with good reason. I was sixteen when that nightmare came. The last I want to do is remember everything. I'm sure Tai Yu is the same with her mother's kidnapper.'

A voice in the radio began to announce a series of calm songs to "soothe the mind and bring the nostalgic in you".

A familiar voice echoed and Chun Li had to laugh at the strange coincidence. It was the song "Lady in Red" from Chris DeBurgh…She hadn't heard that song in ages. Perhaps she hated it because it reminded her far too much of declarations of love from men. Either that or the song felt sexist these days.

'_Lady in Red…is dancing with me, cheek to cheek_…' Lan sang the song teasingly.

'Oh my gosh… This song…' She slapped one hand half-jokingly, half scolding on the man's arm.

Chun Li giggled, feeling Lan looked very boyish fidgeting with the cooled chai latte.

'Remember when I made a mix tape cd and your Dad nearly caught me offering it to you with a rose?'

'We were fourteen, Lan! Do you still have that?'

'Well…I was meaning to give it to you after your shopping therapy with Miss Mysterious of the MI6, but…ah…I suppose you…are taken.'

'That…Another bad joke sent by a potential criminal leader.'

Chun Li should have crumpled that SPA package and make a dunk in the trash bin. Yet, she'd feel bad if some innocent person would happen to ingest a nervous agent or a knock-out gas. The offending crimson and golden wrapped gift was inside a storage box hanging in the wall with cheap European Nordic item-shelves.

It almost reminded her of a time when one of her classmates in prep school had hidden a caterpillar on her lunchbox.

_Then again, I always was of the opinion psychopaths' similar, child-like characteristics to anti-social and high-risk autists._

Opening the box, she untied the bow.

'If this happens to be filled with anthrax, please tell me you'll cover my mouth.' She mouthed quietly, so as not to alarm an already sleepy Tai Yu.

Lan nodded, his expression changing to a poker face as he took a wet towel from her bathroom.

'I'll protect you, Xiang.'

As she suspected, the box did have a stamp of Shadaloo logo on it, the eagle wings and the eerie skull staring back at her.

A small music box-melody began to play.

'Shit…talk about creepy! If the man meant to be romantic, he should watch more horror movies! Music boxes nowadays are the epitome of a serial killer these days..'

'I know, right?' Chun Li chortled bitterly. 'Clueless old fart…'

Then, as she took what seemed to be a fake bottom, she noticed a small note. Handwritten in English was a message with a schedule of Mrs. Guo old SPA.

Y_ou need some rest, Detective…Meet me at any day, from five to seven p.m., in the mixed Jacuzzi area._

Lan narrowed his eyes at the message.

'This has to be a trap…'

'I know…The package card also includes a facial massage. Those are expensive…'

'Chun Li…I mean, Xiang…This is no longer a matter of protecting a witness! If Shadaloo is behind this, we need to be cautious.'

She nodded, thanking Lan's support. His hand was warmer and stronger than what she remembered from her days as a teenager. Then again, that had been twelve years ago

Muffling the waltz-like song by closing the box, Chun Li noticed _Eternal Flame _was playing in the music. Tai Yu had calmed down, as her eyes had closed long ago. Taking off the girl's shoes, the Interpol officer sighed.

Kai Jun was blushing slightly as he laughed.

'I suppose you don't have a spare bed...' He whispered.

'Kai Jun...Please, make yourself at home. I'll sleep with Tai Yu. She needs to feel someone with her when she wakes up.'

Shrugging, he mouthed a soft, informal "thank you " in Cantonese before walking to the bed.


	5. Chapter 5

Chun Li woke up feeling a little bit sore on her arms from sleeping in the couch. Yet, she couldn't have left poor Tai Yu alone.

The little girl was already up. She seemed to be snacking on Chun Li's two buckets of diet ice-cream with heavy black chocolate. This was one of the Interpol police officer's guilty pleasures. She couldn't afford to eat milk chocolate, so she'd spent 10 dollars in a high-end brand of ice-cream so as to avoid not eating sugary stuff that would head straight to her boobs and thighs.

I don't need any more of that. Chun Li thought while walking to the messy island table. There were at least five recyclable carton bags with an Eiffel Tower logo and a dove kissing two roses. The graceful handwriting of the brunch restaurant seemed familiar, but she couldn't piece together what.

Opening one of the cartons unconsciously, the police officer hummed in approval - croque monsieur with avocado. She might have a level B in French, but even she knew how good French cuisine was.

The Interpol police officer wondered for a moment if she should scold the girl. Yet, when the five year old stared at her and greeted her with a "good morning" in English, Chun Li knew she wouldn't even say a single thing. She would be a terrible mother if she ever birthed one or two children.

'Hey…'

'The mister from the police brought you some donuts.'

'Is that a joke…Did he really bring donuts?'

'No, he brought some breakfast – blueberry and strawberry yogurt thingy, poached eggs, bacon and banana pancakes from a place "Mon petit Café". I tried some…'

'Good…' Chun Li muttered, thinking Kai Jun must care a lot for her to spend a pretty penny in high-end brunch-style takeout.

The coffee wasn't that warm, but that was to be expected. Sipping some while enjoying the croquet monsieur with avocado, she wondered how Kai Jun guessed she often told to her closest friends her guilty pleasure was croquet monsieur and coffee. Kai Jun hadn't seen her in years.

'Tai Yu…do you and your mother often eat that stylishly?'

'No…This is something my Mom usually…Usually brought during my birthday or after I had my shots...Or after a visit to the dentist.'

A pull at her heart made the young woman bite her lips, trying to avoid the tears from coming.

'Hmm…Dad was also like that...Nowadays, he's just far too tired to do…anything.'

'Auntie?' Tai Yu asked in a sweet and kind voice.

'I'm fine…'

'Mom always told me if we ever were apart, I should know I was always deep inside her heart.'

'That's beautiful.'

Chun Li rubbed her eyes, feeling she would tremble in front of the girl.

Scooping one more spoonful of ice-cream, the girl sighed.

'Auntie…Thank you for saving me.'

'Tai Yu – I work for that. To end violence against women – I arrest bad men and human trafiquer .'

'You're so strong…'

'Tai Yu…I think we should establish some rules – from now on, no opening the door when I'm busy, even if someone says it's the police! It's very easy for a man to create a police officer disguise…what if that man wanted to take you…?'

'How the hell should I know?! It's not like Mom's date ever made me feel insecure...!' The girl screeched in a rebellious tone, her face all red.

So...he has been teaching you a lot of new words, huh?" Chun Li spat sarcastically, drumming both fingers on her arms.

Her father would have all ready dragged the tiny girl to a corner and tell her in a scary voice to face the wall, to think what she had done.

Yet, Chun Li could not help but think of herself as a girl, when she said the word "damn" in English because it felt funny.

Sure, she certainly had been in detention for a month. Chun Li recalled how that was the first time her father had ever hit her with a sandal.

That was merely because she had screamed the word "damn" in front of the neighbors, and they demanded that he should discipline her.

"I'll call Officer Grady!" That was mostly what her father would say when Chun Li misbehaved. Officer Grady was a tall and quite intimidating half-Chinese, half-American man that Dorai had in the Hong Kong force. The child Chun Li was deathly afraid of him. Nowadays, he was just a friend of hers that had been in the narcotics division for a long time.

Thinking about it, she could only laugh how a child would be afraid of a man who had arrested so many dangerous criminals and had been a valuable asset to Hong Kong.

'Look...I am not sure what your mom's date told you, but swearing isn't...It isn't good, okay?'

'You still aren't my Mom, Aunt.' The five year old girl snorted.

Rubbing her eyes, the Interpol officer began to brush her teeth. She was sure that late night dinner must have made her breath smell like road-kill.

When she was sure her hygiene morning routine was done, she stopped in half her tracks. Mon Petit Café was a European style Brunch…! The last time she had been to that high-end restaurant, she was with Ken Masters. She was certain Lan could not possibly afford a full brunch course, even if he wasn't there.

Then who in the fucking world came through the door and left that brunch takeout?! Her breath began to quicken as she barged through the door, eyes widened.

'Tai Yu! What was this "man from the police" like?'

'Weak chin, dark eyes, big pancake face. Had a small tattoo of an eagle his left wrist – I thought all police dudes…'

'Oh…'

Chun Li breathed a sigh of relief. She understood what her father felt when he would go out late at night in dangerous missions. Opening the high-end brunch boxes, she cringed, unsure once again how to deal with this. On one hand, she was super hungry. However, accepting a gift from a narcissist like Bison always came with a price, whether her vagina…Or something more dangerous entirely.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Hello people...This is a shorter chapter, but it's necessary...**_

Grumbling as though trying to avoid saying a swear word in front of the girl, she placed all the boxes in a disposable, recyclable bag, told Tai Yu to not open the door from the inside and locked it with the hotel key card. She began to climb down the stairs straight to the hotel's lobby. She could issue a complaint about their lack of security, but that'd mean throwing away some needed cash to print out the complaint.

Ringing a bell, she was instantly received by a shocked receptionist.

'Can you please donate these to the Christian orphanage building two yards to the west from here. I'm sure the boys there will enjoy these.'

'Are you sure you wouldn't want to eat these? They are…'

'From a local high-end brunch restaurant? Yes, I know…By the way, next time you decide to throw away your guests' privacy to the roof, I'll slap a report to the local Chinese Tourist office. Have a good day.'

A few minutes later, she was on the lift. She could not believe the gall of that man. Now his lackeys were little more than delivery guys. She would feel a little sympathetic for them if they weren't murderers, drug-dealers and con-artists.

Opening the door, she noticed a small note hanging on the door.

_Good morning, Xiang,_

_I just hope you haven't woken up with my screaming,_

_Some sketchy asshole decided to break into your hotel bedroom. _

_He lied to Tai Yu when I was busy shopping for your food. This hotel's buffet is a rip-off scam. I gave him an old taste of Captain Dorai's martial arts techniques. _

_I think Tai Yu was somewhat…shocked but she didn't cry during the whole show. I hope you haven't fallen for "narcissistic apology". I need to get to work. _

_Hope we can manage to fix this case quickly so Tai Yu can return to her normal life. _

_Bye. _

Kai Jun's awkward structure and writing style made her laugh for a while. She was glad Lan had kicked the Shadaloo henchman so easily. Yet, she could not help but wonder why he hadn't called his superiors. The many possibilities made her head spin. The hotel manager could be one of Shadaloo's informants (which was something Chun Li had been suspecting ever since she had seen Tai Yu sneak into the hotel so easily). Besides, the guards at the gate were lacking any social skills whatsoever. They looked more like they were moonlighting as night-club bouncers than real hotel guards….

Either that or cooking waiters whose only function is to do mashed potatoes at a western food restaurant or in a golf park.

He must have thought the Hong Kong police officers would instantly transport her to another place, like Seattle or New York.

She was about to call him through the phone when the mobile phone rang.

'Officer Xiang speaking, who is it?'

'Ah...Good morning, Chun Li…I forgot tell you the dude ran away. I wish I could have caught him but he was far too fast and, apparently, his veiled threats made me want to protect Tai Yu.'

'so…You didn't call your superiors immediately because you were busy?'

'Yes…I'm so sorry…These people are truly professionals. They caught both of us off guard. We…Xiang! We need to relocate you! It's no longer safe…'

'Oh…There's one little problem – I can't leave Hong Kong without Tai Yu. You know those assholes will try to use her as a means to an end!'

'I know this will be difficult, Xiang!'

'Look, Kai Jun...I appreciate your help...but...These days, Tai Yu just needs some rest, a sense of normalcy-'

A long silence came from the other side of the telephone call.

'Can I be honest with you, Xiang?'

'Of course...'

'I have been followed by another organization that it isn't Shadaloo. I know what their intentions are for Tai Yu, and...Let's just say it isn't pretty.'

'So that's why you stayed with me instead with your Mom.'

Chun Li somehow felt rather used. She wondered if those terrorists he was talking about vaguely would try to shoot her if they were after Tai Yu. No...Forget that, they could do that. Her heart began to pound as she raced for the small island kitchen. Calm down, Chun Li Xiang! They don't know who, or what, you are!

Kai Jun Lan sighed.

'I hear you...This is...This is awful. But we need to stay calm. I'll send a report to my boss, and then we could figure out something to protect Tai Yu. The Sun Yee On would be wary of Shadaloo, letting alone some wild card fanatics. I can't say much over the phone...Catch you up a few days. Bye.'

The sound of the mobile phone call ending echoed in Chun Li's ears, slightly muffled by the rapid beating of her heart.

'Tai Yu...' She moaned slightly. She had no idea who these "terrorists" Kai Jun Lan spoke about were. However, her female intuition told her they were linked to the sniper that had silenced the Sun Yee On.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Hello, people! I finally arranged a time to write a small part of a chapter. **_

There was one particular shopping mall Chun Li missed in Hong Kong. It was the very first of its kind. It had beautiful trees and small gardens on the inside with a massive park.

A blooming apple blossom tree in the centre of the restaurant plaza towered over almost all of the other flowering trees. Ambience music played. She couldn't over how majestic the apple blossom was. It was such a sharp contrast with the bustling and steel concrete of the city.

A few hours later, Tai Yu had thought of a "perfect idea" so they could get to know each other. The young girl egged on the fighter they could visit the mall, see the perfume stores, and do some shopping. At first the fighter put a stern face. Yet, when was the last time Chun Li had some time for herself? When was the last time the young woman could ever do something without being criticized or mocked? No, she needed to protect this girl at all costs! That is what Mrs. Guo would have wished. In the end, and after a session of "Rock, paper scissors", Tai Yu's argument won.

The old shopping mall hadn't changed a bit. It was opened in 1997, by the time the Chinese authorities wished to demonstrate to the world how they were an open society. Shaped like a lotus flower, it seemed to distinguish itself apart from the tall skyscraper buildings in the centre of the port.

Chun Li wondered if her travels across the world had made her insensitive – or rather, numb – to the beauties of this world. Going on a subway with a pair of long skirt was something the young woman hadn't done in years. Yet, for some reason, having a brave little girl around her made Chun Li feel cheerful.

Watching the ships and the ferries departing from their places felt zen-like when a nostalgic radio station played one of Chun Li' teenage years. Humming off tune the song that had given her so many happy moments when she was alone during the late 80's.

A song from the Scorpions echoed in the mall as the two came through the sea-side door.

"Aww…how pretty!" Tai Yu had squealed after seeing a teddy-bear balloon. Chun Li couldn't help but laugh at the girl's curiosity and ability to see everything so positive. When was it she had lost that small, but precious skill.

She decided to splurge on a high-end lipstick. It was a bright orange red. Tai Yu had given her enough courage to

A strong aroma of high-end perfumes hovered in the air. There was a free workshop for "moms and daughters". Chun Li did hate to lie but she wanted Tai Yu to have some fun.

Chun Li cheeks were scorching hot as she was told of a few adventures Tai Yu told her, how an older boy had unzipped his trousers during art class.

"He took a chance when the teacher wasn't looking. Art classes in my school are mixed with other grades."

"Why didn't you slapped him right away?!" The words were instantly out of the fighter and police officer's mouth before she could stop them.

Tai Yu sighed as she painted the "auntie" nails with bright neon green colour.

"I don't know…He had such beautiful blue eyes. William's mom is a blond woman."

Chun Li could only shake her head.

Tai Yu hummed the energetic K-Pop song the stereo loudspeakers were blasting. The Interpol police officer could swear she had listened to that song dozens of times. In the bus, in some pervert taxi driver's radio – that song was blasting at high speed. She could have done her kick and punch work out at the sound of that…but the voices were far too shrill for her taste.

Maybe I'm going old… She said to herself.

"Hey, Auntie? What's your favourite colour?"

"I don't know…I love gold…blue is also beautiful to me."

She was shocked how Tai Yu was avoiding the subject of her mother's disappearance. She simply carried on as though this was a vacation. A coping mechanism perhaps, Chun Li thought.

"Have you ever thought it's so easy to lose track of time?"

Tai Yu shrugged while watching an elegant, curvy-shaped bottle of a perfume, her fingers fiddling with the flask, as though she wanted to see her father on the bottle, like a crystal ball. It made Chun Li melt.

"No, auntie? Last time...Oh, wait, yes. Last time I felt like that, it was when Dad and Mom were still together. I remember feeling the water. Sea...A vacation. Can't remember anything else."

Chun Li sighed. Yes, she remembered Mrs. Guo and her husband talking about an expensive trip to Thailand. They had been saving for two years to take their daughter for a Lunar New Year's Eve holiday. Then, Chun Li recalled Guo having a loud argument with her husband while talking to a shocked Chun Li via one of the many video-chat apps. She had no idea what it was, but it had to do with Mr. Guo being so preoccupied with eating his food that he had lost their tiny daughter.

The police officer felt like a small cartoonish light bulb had raised on her head.

"Hey, Tai-Yu - do you..." Then, she shut her mouth. No, it was far too early to ask her. It was freaking suspicious how Mr. Guo had died of a stupid disease right after that trip to Thailand. If Chun Li didn't know any better, she'd guess Shadaloo was beginning to lose too many recruits. In that case, the old perverted bastard would suggest to kidnap more young girls...Or perhaps...An eerie crawl climbed up Chun Li's spine.

_No! Over my dead f***** body! _Chun Li thought while slamming her hand against the table. A few hair and makeup products rattled, jolting a red-flushed and nervous Chun Li to reality.

"Miss!" The male clerk gave a loud gasp. "If you break it, you buy it!" He said in an angry voice in English.

"I'm so sorry!" Chun Li could only mutter.

After they made sure both their nails were dried with the polish, Chun Li made sure to stop at the local bookshop to buy a few pedagogy books and how-to child-rearing books.

Fascinated with the astonishing amount of books on child-rearing, the fighter flushed bright red. She wondered if, one day, she could use those books for real, to help her to raise children of her own.


End file.
